If I may, I will add my favorite neighborhood joint, which is on 57th street between Lexington and 3rd Avs., right here in delightful Manhattan: Crush Wine Company. http://www.crushwineco.com.

Apart from that, what Dale said. PJ's has excellent prices and a broad (if questionable) selection of Spanish and Itaian wines. I buy Sherry from them.

Chambers, of course, rocks. The new Astor is shaping up very nicely and it counts Greg del Piaz among its staff, which is a good thing. No, make that a pretty damn good thing with a cherry on top.

Garnet at 68th and Lexington has gone down in terms of selection, but one can still find the odd gem at a great price there. Columbus Circle Liquors has some interesting stuff, too. And for the hardy of heart, there's always Acker...

I was weirded out by all the importers and distributors on Mrs. Robinson's list. It needs annotation, I think.

Premier has 3 excellent stores in the Buffalo area. In addition to a large selection of imports they feature many wines from the Niagara Peninsula and the Finger Lakes. Ed Draves works at one of their stores.

We've already had mentions for Macarthur's in DC (also known as Bassin's) and for K & L on the west coast. I will add Carolina Wine Company in Raleigh, NC
http://carolinawine.biz/index.asp?CartId={5B43A5E9-4CDEVERESTD-4760-90C1-A3BB852D2240}

I might add to the list, but what's the criteria? Personal favorites isn't really much of a criteria.

Incidentally, unless they have changed their status, Frederick Wildman is an Importer/Distributor, not a retailer. Nor is Chadderton and Rosenthal. Something is wrong either with her list, her understanding of the U.S. distributor/retailer system, or her request.

I might add to the list, but what's the criteria? Personal favorites isn't really much of a criteria.

Incidentally, unless they have changed their status, Frederick Wildman is an Importer/Distributor, not a retailer. Nor is Chadderton and Rosenthal. Something is wrong either with her list, her understanding of the U.S. distributor/retailer system, or her request.

You are right about Wildman and Chadderdon, Thomas, but not about Rosenthal. Rosenthal has a shop on 84th Street, on the Upper East Side, where they sell wines from their import protfolio at retail to average punters like you and me. They have in-store tastings on Saturdays and stuff, too.

I did know it, but had a lapse in memory--all too common event these days.

I suppose Rosenthal doesn't do warehousing, 'cause in NY you can't hold a distribution as well as a retailing license.

Incidentally, I admire Rosenthal for the dedication behind the selection.

Having said that, I'd still love to know the criteria for this wine list, and I suppose I ain't gonna get it! If it's just a directory, then all words like "good" should be excised from its introduction and explanation, and the answer can be had by contacting each state's Liquor Crime, er, Control Authority.

If it's a "best of" (a concept I keenly abhor) thenan explanation of what the retailers are "best of" at needs to accompany it, to which I am sure a fair percentage of wine buyers will agree as well as disagree, which makes such lists about as meaningful as a wine rating.